Finding art in the uncanny aesthetics of MAGA

"On Wednesday night (13 May), the Spielzeug gallery's pop-up show MAR-A-LAGO FACE had barely opened before a line formed to get in. Its opening night blurred the line between exhibition and party, with a bouncer checking bags and an intern stamping wrists at the door. Inside, a DJ bobbed along to his set and the bar served on-theme drinks. One, called Botched, listed the ingredients as "the enzyme that made Lauren Sanchez Bezos allergic to serving" and "a gun"."

"Across three floors of what was once a restaurant (O'Flaherty's took over the same space on Allen Street in 2024), Karas and Hicks have curated a show that speaks back to "neo-Rococo MAGA crash out aesthetics" and, in particular, the plastic-surgery aesthetics popular among Republicans these days. The "Mar-a-Lago look" is defined by an overtly artificial sensibility-the point is to look like you have had work done. Matt Gaetz, Laura Loomer, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kristi Noem are textbook examples."

"Spielzeug brought in works by artists who were for the most part queer, trans and/or Latin American. Body modification and the power dynamics of gender and sex, in the hands of these artists, invert the suppressed and essentializing elements of the far-right's sensibility around femininity. Work by Ivana Vladislava is emblematic of this."

""Scrolling on Instagram and seeing what government officials are posting while doing research for this show began to feel uncanny-is this real life?" said Hicks, a feather boa wrapped around her shoulders and a martini glass in hand."

A pop-up exhibition opened with a line forming immediately, combining exhibition access with party-style entry checks, wrist stamping, a DJ set, and themed drinks. The show is curated across three floors in a former restaurant space and responds to neo-Rococo MAGA crash-out aesthetics, especially plastic-surgery aesthetics associated with Republican public figures. The “Mar-a-Lago look” is framed as overtly artificial, aiming to appear as if cosmetic work has been done. The program features artists who are largely queer, trans, and/or Latin American, using body modification and gender and sex power dynamics to invert far-right ideas about femininity. Ivana Vladislava’s work is highlighted, rooted in her own experience of botched plastic surgery during transition.

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